The Mission District Carnitas Super Burrito
Chapter 2 — The Meats: The Slow and Marinated Proteins
Drop a half-pound of braised pork shoulder onto the hot plancha to crisp your authentic Michoacán-style carnitas—pork bathed in bubbling pure lard, spiked with citrus, Mexican cola, and milk until the edges are a shattered, caramelized mahogany. Double-warm that massive 12-inch flour tortilla with steam and a blazing comal, lay down a waterproof cheese barrier, and stack your components until the tortilla stretches taut across the final fold, sealing the two-pound mass inside an aluminum foil wrapper. Wrap it tighter than you think you need to.
Before you start
Build your spread in advance.
The taqueria model is built on prep. Cook your lard-infused beans, toast your rice, crush the salsa, and confit the carnitas up to three days before you plan to feast. On the day of, simply reheat the meats in their own fat and set up the assembly counter.
Ingredients
- pork shoulder3 lb
- pork belly1 lb
- pure pork lard2 lb
- white onion1 large
- garlic8 small clove
- oranges2 med
- Mexican Coca-Cola1 cup
- sweetened condensed milk1/4 cup
- bay leaves2 med
- Mexican oregano1 tsp
- fresh thyme1 small
- marjoram1 tsp
- kosher salt1 tbsp
- flour tortillas4 large
- Monterey Jack cheese1 cup
- pinto beans1 1/3 cup
- Mexican rice1 1/3 cup
- pico de gallo1/2 cup
- salsa verde1/2 cup
- sour cream1/2 cup
- avocados2 med
Method
- 01
Melt the lard in a heavy Dutch oven.
Place the pot over medium heat to replicate the traditional cazo de cobre, melting the pure pork lard completely.
- 02
Submerge the pork and aromatics in the fat.
Add the pork shoulder, pork belly, salt, onion halves, crushed garlic, and herbs. Squeeze the orange halves directly into the pot and toss the spent rinds into the bubbling fat.
- 03
Introduce the authentic liquid additions.
Pour in the Mexican Coca-Cola and sweetened condensed milk, allowing the liquid to bubble aggressively.
- 04
Simmer low and slow to confit the meat.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, letting the water evaporate until the pork is gently frying in clear, rendered fat.
- 05
Fry the carnitas to a deep mahogany.
Increase the heat slightly and fry for 15 to 20 minutes as the sugars from the cola and milk adhere to the pork, then remove with a slotted spoon and shred gently.
- 06
Double-warm the oversized flour tortillas.
Steam the tortillas briefly between damp towels in the microwave, then immediately char them for a few seconds per side on a blazing hot comal or carbon-steel skillet to impart smoky recado color and fortify their structure.
- 07
Construct the burrito with structural precision.
Lay the hot tortilla on heavy-duty aluminum foil, lay down a strip of shredded cheese to create a waterproof barrier, and top with drained pinto beans, a half-pound of crispy carnitas, and Mexican rice.
- 08
Garnish, fold, and wrap tightly.
Finish with pico de gallo, a heavy drizzle of molcajete salsa verde, sour cream, and thick avocado slices. Fold the short sides in, roll into a tight cylinder, and immediately twist the burrito in the foil to let the residual heat fuse the flavors.
Notes
Do not substitute the pure pork lard.
Authentic carnitas and taqueria beans require confit-style cooking in rendered animal fat; using canola or vegetable oil will fundamentally ruin the texture and yield dry, tough meat.
Use a molcajete for the salsa verde.
Pressing the salsa through a basalt mortar and pestle releases the essential oils of the chiles and cilantro in a way a food processor simply cannot match, creating a vastly superior texture.